Footage discovered of Army’s ‘first peacetime exercise’ in Cork town

Unique footage has emerged of a historic march undertaken by the Irish Army in Co Cork almost 60 years ago.

The clips show part of “Exercise Youghal,” a manoeuvre the Cork Examiner described as the Army’s “first peacetime exercise”, on Sunday July 22, 1956.

More than 1,000 soldiers gathered in the town before filing past then-taoiseach John A Costello; defence minister Seán MacEoin; external affairs minister Liam Cosgrave and Army top brass. A large crowd of locals and tourists witnessed the parade by Clancy’s bar in the Strand area.

The six-minute footage, which does not have commentary, is a compilation from different locations and perhaps traversing several days. Solders and an Army pipe band are seen marching into and through the town prior to the official review.

At the time, Youghal had a military camp close to a firing range in the Strand and a line of tents is depicted. Locals, some on bicycles, are also seen alongside the soldiers, some of whom had marched 32km from Cappoquin in Waterford.

The material was discovered by retired teacher and former Youghal town councillor Liam Burke. It was taken by his late father, pharmacist James Burke, who served in the Local Defence Force during the Emergency.

Website Youghalonline.com converted the footage to digital format.

The Cork Examiner reported the exercise had run over 10 days “in various parts of the country,” adding that the concluding ceremony began “with open air Mass in a field outside the town, where the troops had gathered since Wednesday”.